Toy guns which shoot or launch projectiles have been very popular for many years. These guns have been designed to launch projectiles in a number of ways. A common method of launching has been by the compression of a spring which propels the projectile upon its decompression or release, as, for example, with BB guns and dart guns. These guns however usually do not generate enough force to launch projectiles with great velocity.
Toy guns have also been designed which use compressed air to launch projectiles such as foam darts. These types of guns use a reciprocating air pump to pressurize air within a pressure tank. In use, a single dart is loaded and the pump is typically reciprocated several times with each firing of the gun. Therefore, the gun must be loaded and pumped with each firing as it is not capable of firing several darts in rapid sequence. The rapid firing of a gun may be desired for those playing a mock war or other type of competition.
As children often become bored with the design of conventional guns it is desirous to design guns having an unconventional construction or appearance. However, unconventional guns are often difficult to accurately aim and fire.
Today children who play mock wars often carry several guns at one time in order to fire several shots simultaneously or in rapid succession. This however is difficult as two hands must be used to fire two separate guns and two hands are typically used to pump one gun. Hence, a child must choose to either fire a gun in each hand or pump one gun for firing.
Another problem associated with dart guns which fire cylindrical, foam darts has been their inconsistent aim. It has been discovered that this inconsistency is attributed to the pressures exerted upon the tail end of a dart as it exits the launch tube. For should the dart be slightly misaligned or the tail not be perfectly even, the compressed air within the launch tube rushes about the tail as it exits the launch tube, thereby causing a skewing force which causes the dart to veer or even tumble during flight.
A safety problem has also existed associated with children forcing foreign objects into the launch tube other than the specifically designed foam dart. For example, a child may force a sharpened pencil into the launch tube which could be fired by the compressed air.
In the past designers of compressed air dart guns have tried to overcome this problem of firing foreign objects. For example, dart guns have been designed which include an air release safety valve which co-operates with a pin extending into the launch tube. The placement of a properly configured dart within the launch tube biases the pin so as to open the safety valve. Now, with the firing of the gun compressed air is allowed into the launch tube through the safety valve. Should the safety valve not be biased to its open position the compressed air is prevented from flowing into the launch tube. The problem with these types of dart guns however has been the complexity associated with their construction.
Accordingly, it is seen that a need remains for a toy air gun which may be safely fired should a foreign object be inserted into its launch tube and which may accurately launch a dart. It is to the provision of such therefore that the present invention is primarily directed.